Lahaina and Kaanapali
The historic port town of Lahaina and the area of Kaanapali are excellent locations to stay on West Maui.
Kaanapali Area
Just north of Lahaina is Kaanapali Beach which was awarded the 2003 Dr. Beach award for being America’s Best Beach. The resort area of Kaanapali provides conveniences within walking distance such as great restaurants, shop and free entertainment in Whalers Village, excellent off-the-beach snorkeling at Black Rock, two championship golf courses and the Whale Center of the Pacific. Kaanapali’s location is well situated for exploring the whole island. Kaanapali makes a great base for a Maui vacation.
Lahaina Area
Lahaina is a lively and charming town with unique shops, art galleries and lots of waterfront restaurants.
>> Go back to Maui – Where to Stay
8 comments
It is my first time to visit Hawaii and it will be a mom and daughters (both in college) graduation trip. We love beautiful beaches, lush scenery with waterfalls. I have had some friends mention Maui near LaHaina and friends mention Oahu. I want this to be the best breath taking trip. Please help??
Thanks
Both would suit your needs. For first time visitors who aren’t sure where to go, we recommend Maui. Since you’re planning your first trip to Hawaii, check out our first time visitors guide which has helped thousands plan their own trip: https://govisithawaii.com/first-time-visitors-guide-to-hawaii/
It will be my first trip to Hawaii. My husband and I will be traveling with our daughter & son (who are 21 & 23) We are planning on going to Maui for sure. I wanted to know if we would be able to see and do these activities in the Kaanapali area? Horseback ride, see turtles, waterfalls, paddle board & snorkel?
You won’t be able to see and do all of those things IN Kaanapali, but you will be able to get to them fairly easily by rental car.
Paddle boarding, snorkeling, seeing turtles in Kaanapali = good bet
Waterfalls, horseback ride in Kaanapali = doesn’t exist IN Kaanapali, but can be found elsewhere on the island.
Hello, I will traveling to Maui in Oct. I’d like to surf. Which areas do you recommend? Are shark attacks common in Maui. I read some statistics about sharks habitats in Maui. Kind regards
We don’t surf, so we can’t recommend surfing spots. It really depends on the direction of the swells.
Shark attacks aren’t “common” in Hawaii, but they can happen. Read this article https://govisithawaii.com/2015/11/03/sharks-in-hawaii/
My husband and I are going to Hawaii for the first time. We are thinking that Maui is the best place to go to. We want to relax but also enjoy good food and ambience. Which hotel do you recommend that is near Lahaina but is not so family focus? We want to be able to relax at the pool and beach, our budget is around 300 d night. Thank you
See our post on Hawaii hotels with pools designated for adults only: https://govisithawaii.com/2016/03/01/hawaii-hotels-with-adults-only-pools/